2011 Look 695 with Di2, Cosmic Carbone SR Wheels.  One only, Large size.  RRP: $14000, Special: $11999.

For more detail about this bike click here.

*excludes Fusion Sugoi shop kit.

I have been racing for years and have ridden lots of bikes, including a 2010 Supersix Di2. This year I have been riding a Cervelo S3 and had been really impressed. So, when I mentioned to the Fusion guys that I wanted to try something new, they were going to have to find something pretty special to beat it! I had read all the write-ups on the "695 gram" Evo but having already ridden a Supersix, I was pretty set on something different. This idea lasted all of about 15 seconds after Matty convinced me to climb on a 54" Supersix Evo 1 Sram Red.

To understand why it took all of 15 seconds for me to be hooked you need to understand  the evolution the Cannondale team has undergone with this bike. With the geometry unchanged, it is the technology invested in this frame that makes this bike so special.

The Cannondale boffins have used their Ballis Tec technology to engineer one of the lightest frames on the market. This technology identifies all the loads on the frame and optimises the exact number of unidirectional carbon layers required at each point to oppose them. In doing this, they have developed a bike that has also been tested as one of the stiffest and strongest carbon frames on the market.

Typically, stiffness and strength do not allow for comfort but the engineers have also thought of this. Using their Speed Save technology, similar to what is used in F1 cars, Cannondale have developed subtle flex zones in the rear stay, seat tube and fork.  These zones dampen road vibration while helping the bike roll faster, giving great comfort for the long kilometers on the road.

I have had the new bike for 6 weeks now and have definitely put it through some long and hard kilometers. A busy criterium racing schedule and a need for long kilometres before next road season has given me plenty of opportunity to really test the bike.

The first thing I noticed about the Evo was just how stiff it was. The Boffins have done well. Climbing in and out of the saddle really does give you full benefit for your effort. Being so light (with Mavic Open Pro CD wheels and a Quarq power meter it is still sub-7kg) the bike is rock solid under you making each pedal stroke count. This was also really noticeable in the bunch sprints of criteriums. Going for everything, I was really impressed. I actually had to adjust my sprint position to account for just how stiff this bike is. 

Super light and incredibly stiff are just the start. I have had even more fun on this bike when the road goes down. With Cannondale's tradition race geometry, which includes a horizontal top tube, I have been able to fit a size 54' instead of my usual 56' to get the body position I ride with. The Evo's handling and liveliness gives you a real confidence to attack corners without fear. I have noticed an increase in speed through many of the descents of my regular training circuits.

Overall, the technology that Cannondale has invested in the Supersix Evo range has created a great bike, well balanced for all conditions. The production models are exactly the same as those ridden at the highest level on the Protour by the Liquigas/Cannondale team. I am genuinely excited to get out on my Evo each day and to date my only gripe are the tired legs as a result.

Cheers, James Mansfield, Team Fusion

Fusion Australia Day ride Jan 2011

Join us at 6am on Thursday 26 January for an Australia Day Charity Ride, from Fusion Cycles to Wynnum and back for brekky to celebrate Fusion's 4th birthday.

We will split into two groups, a 25km/hr group and a 30km/hr group.  The ride will be supported by the Fusion race team with a support vehicle.  All roads are open.

Entry $20 all entry money donated to Amy Gillett Foundation. Pay on the day but please click here to register so we know how many to cater for.

Adam Gill with his new Look 695 with Record

Keen to take your cycling to the next level this year? Level 2 Cycle Coach Adam Gill will be taking a group (maximum of 15) from Fusion Cycles every Thursday at 5.15am-6.45am.  The session will be varied depending on the needs of the riders but will focus on speed and hills.  Cost is $15 per session or purchase a 10 session pass for $120.  Sessions must be prepaid at Fusion Cycles and start on Thursday 2nd February. 

(NP: this session will replace the Thursday Fusion shop ride)

Click here for more info

Fusion Kingscliff Social Ride March 2011

Fusion Cycles is joining in the fun of the QSM Kingscliff Tri weekend again in February.  Now in its 3rd year, included in the weekend’s program is the Fusion Cycles Social Ride, a 62km social ride around the Tweed Coast on Saturday 18 Feb. For more info, click here.

Tom McPhail, MTB race 2011

Mt Joyce Escape Recreation Park is located off the Beaudesert-Boonah Road at Wyaralong and opened in 2011 with 40km of MTB trails.  Click here for more info about Mt Joyce. 

Matt and Leighton headed out there last week and rode 30km of trails with 900m of climbing.  Matt says the trails are not super technical, just heaps of fun!

Click here to view the Garmin ride log for Mt Joyce.

Gotta get the km’s up
Base kilometres are key - increase no more than 10% a week. Increasing your mileage more than 10% a week or starting from a poor base, increases the possibility of injuries.

Train for speed
Don't just put in miles, put in quality miles. Consider riding at least three times a week at a pace faster than your event goal, including intervals, group rides where you feel pushed beyond your limits, and club or competition time trials. But don't over do it. Plan to limit total miles at this "super" event pace to no more than a tenth of your weekly total.

Push the climbs
Conventional wisdom is to take it easy on the climbs and then make up time on the downhills, but if you can push to your anaerobic limits, the absolute time in minutes you'll save on the climbs (climbing at 18 kph instead of 15 for example) will be more than you could ever make up on the downhill (going 37 instead of 35 for a shorter time on the descent). The secret is staying aerobic on the climb, and it will take practice to know your own limits.

Strength and flexibility
Cyclists tend to lose upper body muscle mass, particularly during the riding season. The upper body stabilizes the pelvis and contributes to a strong pedal stroke, so be sure to include some upper body (especially abdominal) strength training in your program.

One study demonstrated a 5% increase in power from hamstring stretches. The added flexibility appeared to lead to better utilization of the quads. So remember to include some basic stretching in your program.

Rest
Keep a training diary and record your morning heart rate. Overtraining is a definite risk with an aggressive training program. If your resting morning heart rate is consistently 5 beats above normal, it's time to take a rest.

Cycling tips courtesy of cptips.com

Getting back on track with nutrition and exercise after Christmas can be a battle.  Here are five easy tips to help you.

1. Get back to reality

Over the Christmas period, portion sizes become larger.   The first step is reigning them in.  Get back to appropriate portion sizes for your training requirements.  This means measuring out your servings to ensure what you think is a cup of rice is actually a cup of rice and not just a pile on a plate. The average athlete doesn’t quantify food volumes and without knowing exactly what is on your plate, you have no chance of controlling it.

2. Get organised again

During the holiday season meal times become disorganised and dysfunctional.  Get back into a meal routine that suits your training schedule.  This means eating breakfast after training not at 10am brunch to catch up with friends or skipping breakfast because you have slept in.  It also means the bowl of cereal you ate for the last 48 weeks of the year not the eggs and ham off the bone you have had over the holiday period.  Organise your food intake to ensure you are not skipping meals or eating poor choices.  This is easily achieved by sitting down on one day a week and planning meals out.  When will you cook, when do you need a high carbohydrate meal, when is steak and salad appropriate.  A little bit of planning goes a long way in regulating your intake.

3. Stay hydrated away from training

Most athletes take on board the hydration message during exercise in summer.  What they often neglect, working in air conditioned environments, is the importance of hydration throughout the day.  Consistent hydration is essential to ensure that the body recovers between training sessions as well as helping with fat mass loss.  An easy way to stay hydrated is to have a water source in clear view throughout the day.  Similair to the principles of race hydration visual cue’s are essential. You must be reminded to drink, and without a visual cue like a water bottle on your desk it is easy to forget about drinking when you are hard at work. 

4. Fuel for performance

Often times the first thing that athletes remove to try to lose weight is food sources around and during exercise.  This allows them to control calories and reduce the extra few pounds gained over Christmas.  This is not true.  Removing key energy sources during specific sets will reduce the quality of the session and lead to less calories burned.  Ensure that during high intensity sessions you are able to reach the intensities and the speeds required to improve performance.  If you need to cut out calories or carbohydrates then do it away from training.  Fuel before, during and after essential sessions and then reduce carbohydrate and energy volumes at non essential times.

5. Avoid the fad diets and quick fixes.

Rather than starting some fad diet that the latest celebrity is indorsing try measure and restraint.  Rather than restricting nutrients or food groups to achieve weight loss try to cut back your intakes to previous levels.  If you are doing a detox or cleansing diet, be very careful.  These diets although allowing you to lose scale weight fast more often than not lead to large losses in lean muscle mass and sparing of fat mass.  For athletes this is the worst thing that you can do as lean tissue is the thing that helps you perform.  If you are going to do a detox ensure it is for a short as possible and try and avoid catabolic activities that will increase lean muscle tissue losses.  Remember without the metabolic power of lean muscle tissue your metabolism slows and makes it harder for you to continue to lose weight.

Greg Shaw
Sports Dietitian
AIS Sports Nutrition
Australian Institute of Sport